The Wilshire Area of the Los Angeles Police Department wishes to nominate Gene Hugh Costin for the 1998 California Crime Prevention Award, Category 5, Crime Prevention Volunteer Of The Year for Region 1.

Volunteer Costin retired after a 30-year career in business. He did some minor volunteer work at the Wilshire Area and Northeast Area stations for several years. In the fall of 1995, he decided to become more active and felt that his background would benefit him in our Crime Prevention efforts. This program is administered by the Station's Community Relations Office with the assistance of the Senior Lead Officers. The latter has primary responsibility for the Neighborhood Watch programs.

The Wilshire Area of the Los Angeles Police Department is unique. The resident population of 230,000 has no ethnic or racial majority. The percentage of immigrants is high. One zip code is among the wealthiest in the United States, while others may be among the poorest. It has the highest crime rate of the eighteen Police Department Divisions in the City.

The Los Angeles Police Department is firmly committed to the Community Policing concept. This mandated a cooperative relationship between the officers and the general public because Crime Prevention is an integral part of Community Policing. The problem was, and to an extent still is, that a large segment of the area's population did not understand that with a little time, effort and attitude it could successfully participate in the fight against crime. Within that segment, a more specific group, the elderly, had to be reached since they were the most frequent victims and also the prime target for scams and con games.

A goal was established. The Los Angeles Police Department would actively demonstrate that it would assist residents to help them significantly reduce the occurrence of the crimes they feared most: burglary, street assaults, and offenses committed against them while operating their vehicles. The program would consist of a mix of the tried and true with new and innovative ideas.

Volunteer Costin indicated that he had time to devote to the Program. Senior Lead Officer Chuck Newman (who tragically died several months ago) encouraged him to explore ways to make "Crime Prevention" more than just a catch phrase. Due to a lack of office space, Volunteer Costin elected to work from his home, using his own computer and telephone. He receives no reimbursement for these expenses.

Early efforts did not meet with immediate success. For example, a widely publicized meeting at the Station drew an attendance of just four residents. People were afraid to respond, and especially to a Police Station. It became obvious that the Program must be taken into the neighborhoods, block by block and if need be, house by house and apartment by apartment.

Volunteer Costin first developed a 30-minute Crime Prevention seminar, complete with samples of locks and other protective devices. The presentation includes deterrence measures against home burglary as well as street and vehicle crimes. Subsequently, Volunteer Costin created separate presentations on Bunco, Con Games, Scams, and Crimes Against Children. Most recently, in conjunction with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Telemarketing Frauds Against Seniors has been added to the repertoire. The latter includes a video prepared by AARP.

Each presentation is tailored to the specific audience which have ranged in size from four to over two hundred people. Volunteer Costin has talked to Neighborhood Watch meetings, religious and employee groups, Senior Citizen organizations, etc. His retired status allows him to attend meetings at such diverse times as Saturday mornings, Sunday afternoons and mid-days, as well as the usual early evening hours. Officer Newman estimated that Volunteer Costin had addressed over 2,500 people at more than one hundred meetings.

Volunteer Costin instituted a program of residential and business security inspections. Senior Lead Officers suggested to residents that they sign up for an inspection of their houses or apartments. Councilmatic representatives also advise residents of this service. Appointments are made and the residents are encouraged to invite neighbors. The actual inspection takes about twenty minutes, using a check-form developed by Volunteer Costin. Problems are pointed out and suggestions offered. A written report is sent to the resident within one week. A typical inspection was filmed and a small portion shown on a Los Angeles Television Station KTLA. Since the beginning of the program, Costin has inspected and sent reports on at least three hundred dwelling units, many of which had been the target of burglars.

Wilshire Area maintains a Mobile SubStation for use in Crime Prevention presentations. Various brochures, videos and pamphlets on Crime Prevention are carried within this vehicle. Volunteer Costin ensures the materials are kept up to date and maintained in an orderly fashion.

Volunteer Costin is a member of the Wilshire Police Community Advisory Board, which is composed of citizens residing or working in the area, and representatives from the Department.

In 1996, Captain Lyman Doster, who was Patrol Commander at the time, suggested that the Costin initiate a crime newsletter. Costin has written and published an edition of the Wilshire Crime Fighter almost every month. It is distributed to members of the Community Advisory Board, and made available to the public at the station desk.

In November 1996, a volunteer who regularly staffed the station’s front desk died. Volunteer Costin was asked to assist in filling the position. He now works at the front desk three mornings a week, assisting callers and drop-in visitors and taking crime reports. Volunteer Costin also wrote a "Front Desk" manual and was delegated to instruct officers on the use of the "Megan’s Law" computer and the Telecommunication Device for The Deaf (TDD) System.

Volunteer Costin has also contributed to several other station activities such as:

• Surveillance team for the Basic Car 7A1 Zero Tolerance Task Force
• Assessment Center for Captains Program
• Completion of Operations-West Bureau Community Police Academy
• Coordinated the donation of candy and assisted the staff at the Area Halloween Party
• Parent-child counseling during Juvenile Curfew Enforcement Sweeps

Volunteer Coordinator Harold Kramer estimates that Volunteer Costin serves approximately 70 hours per month on the above activities. Volunteer Costin is married and has three children as well as three grandchildren. His wife, Mitzi, is a Volunteer Docent at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.